It is less Dixon of Dock Green and more Dixon of dot-com. Police in Bedfordshire have been equipped with BlackBerrys, the gadget beloved of highflying executives.

Gene Hunt, the luddite copper from the television series Life on Mars, would almost certainly not approve, but the City’s favourite toy is being introduced in an attempt to maximise the amount of time police spend on the beat.

The device, nicknamed the Crack-Berry because of its addictiveness, has become infamous for ensuring that workers are never out of touch with the office.

Police constables are already voicing concern that they will be at the machine’s beck and call 24 hours day.

Officers will be able to gain access to police databases while on the move, without using radios, and, instead of going back to the station to do paper work, they will be able to upload data using their “smartphones”.

Users of the devices will have access to sensitive information from the Police National Computer, such as criminal records, prompting concern that if one of the devices fell into the wrong hands it would cause a breach of security.

However, the manufacturer promises that the handsets are equipped with a “poison pill” capability – allowing data to be wiped remotely at a moment’s notice.

The BlackBerry has already notched up its first arrest. During the pilot scheme a suspect contended that he was the victim of mistaken identity. However, officers were able to down-load a photo from the database for comparison.

The Bedfordshire branch of the Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers, has given the initiative a guarded welcome. John Price, the branch secretary, said: “We have been involved in discussions around protecting the officers on their time off so they aren’t being contacted seven days a week.”

He added that the public would have to get used to the sight of officers tinkering with their devices.

“Reports can be prepared electronically while sitting in cars or on street corners, and while they’re doing that they clearly aren’t also patrolling and doing the functions the public expects them to do.”

The federation is also concerned that the Blackberrys may reduce the amount of contact between beat officers and the station. Mr Price said: “Radio contact is a natural health and safety check - a good way of checking up on officers.”

Inspector Jim Hitch, of Bedfordshire Police, said that the Blackberrys meant that officers would spend less time at their desks.

“Our officers will be able to increase their visibility in the community and improve their operational efficiency.

“Officers no longer need to radio the control room for information or intelligence every time they question someone or see something suspicious. BlackBerry gives officers the power to quickly check crucial details such as identity, vehicle ownership and previous convictions with very little effort and in a secure and robust manner.”

About 1,000 of the devices have been issued and Research In Motion, the company behind the BlackBerry, is in talks with other forces. Graham Baker, its senior strategic manager, said that police officers had never before been able to write information to the databases.

He said: “When forces started computerising their databases they mobilised nothing. So roughly half of officers’ time was spent in the station.

“Data security is also a key decision-maker for police forces. The BlackBerry solution has been designed primarily with security in mind and has been approved for up to and including government-restricted data by government security experts. This implemen-tation will enable Bedfordshire Police to work more productively while on the move.

“Cutting down on dead time and excess paperwork are two of the key reasons why mobile technology is increasingly being seen as a must-have for businesses and public sector organisations alike.”

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